Heating a swimming pool can be an ongoing maintenance headache, unless a few rules are followed closely. We have recapped a few of the rules that we have determined over the years.
- Make sure that the chlorine is added to the system on the downstream side of the heating source (either a pool boiler or heat exchanger), sand filters, and pumping equipment. The chemicals are injected into the line at high concentrations and this heavily concentrated solution must have a chance to dilute before it goes into the equipment. Typically this insertion takes place just before reentry into the pool.
- Since most pools are held a temperature about 82oF, it is very important that a procedure be in place to make sure that the inlet water temperature to any gas fired pool heater never falls below 105oF. 105oF is the condensing temperature for a typical copper finned tube type of pool heater. Failure to keep the inlet water temperature above the condensing temperature will cause the flue gases to condense and the subsequent water will drip onto the heat exchanger causing corrosion. This corrosive acid can eat through a heat exchanger in a matter of a few weeks…and will most likely void the pool heater warranty. Consult with our boiler experts for how to prevent the problem.
- When using a steam source in a heat exchanger to heat the pool heater, a few very important construction details need to be followed in the materials used in the heat exchanger. The tubesheet needs to be either a solid brass or alternative material to combat the common problem of galvanic corrosion between the typical steel tubesheet and copper tubing.
ADVANCED TECHTIP…Contact our office for further information and possibly a jobsite visit if needed. Pool heaters can be very troublesome…let us help you get off to a good start on your next pool job, or help you correct deficiencies in a current system.